Saturday, 3 March 2012

The dawn of the Kalahari reveals a Tequila Sunrise

At last it has arrived! Our meerkat camera rig named Tequila
Sunrise! The first EVER of its kind, the WildEarth crew are seriously excited
about it! Lightweight and complete with monitor, stereo microphone, 3D film
cameras, live streaming uplink and a push-to-talk function so that we can talk
live to our viewers, the only thing the rig does not have is a mini-bar! WildEarth
has always been a pioneer in the field, and Tequila Sunrise is NO exception! A
few minor adjustments here and there and will be ready to go!

In the picture, you can see how the camera rig is held using
shoulder straps and two handles to help swing it left to right. At the front is
the main camera housing which holds the 3D cameras which will also film 2D for
our live stream. Further up from that is our stereo microphone so that you can
hear every sound the Gosa gang make on their journey. Further up is the audio
box, followed by the monitor on the handle bars. In the middle is a very
well-tanned, 25 year old bush fanatic, and behind me are the batteries and
finally the wireless uplink. It may look cumbersome, but it is comfortable and
very well balanced. The bush fanatic holding the rig is also comfortable,
however his balance can sometimes be a bit wobbly. Crazy times!